How the Mask debate is playing out here at our shop

As the entire world deals with Covid, we thought we’d tell you how the controversy over mask-wearing is playing out here at the shop. Here are all our covid-related comments from our Post Service Comment Cards over the last month…

Shannon S.- ”So appreciate your teams’ professionalism and addressing & following medically recommended Covid-19 precautions”

Cindy M.- “We are very glad you have services during Corona.”

Deborah M.- “Thank you for following save Covid-19 procedures such as having hand sanitizer, plexiglass, sanitizer vehicle and protecting customers and employees.”

Joyce L.- “Thanks for your Covid 19 safety.”

Larry R.- “I appreciated how everyone wore masks and appeared to be cautious about the pandemic.”

James L.- “Very much appreciate your extra efforts on the Covid 19 situation.”

Don M.- “Appreciate your Covid precautions!”

Missy D.- “Thanks for staying open and employing your great staff!”

Gene W.- “Handling of auto and experience during this pandemic is outstanding.”

Nancy W.- “Thanks for making the effort to stay open… stay healthy!”

April S.- “Thank you for the careful sanitation. It is much appreciated.”

Charlie C.- “Like your Covid 19 safety measure in front office.”

Phil B.- ”…service rep, techs, all were great & kept proper social distance.”

Those are great comments, and thank you, but they aren’t ALL the comments…

Heather C.- “I think requiring a mask for your employees at this point in covid season is a strain for them more than beneficial for others. Social distance with clients is easy enough. I ache for requirements to be made optional. The threat and #’s just don’t support mandatory masks for your employees!”

David S.- “All staff MUST wear a MASK when within 6 feet of others. A face shield is not a substitute. Failing to do so is not only against the law, it increases your customers’ risk of Covid-19 infection. Your desk associate was wearing only a face shield. When I pointed this out, he politely explained why he wasn’t wearing a mask. Unacceptable! As long as this is allowed I would not recommend Tom Dwyer Automotive Services.”

This is fairly representative of our in-shop conversations and our Comment Card responses… most people have been overwhelmingly positive, while a minority feel we are either doing too much or too little. Like virtually every other business around the world we are fighting Covid as best we can and having both successes and failures. We’re gratified when people notice and appreciate our efforts, but the comments from Heather and David reflect sizeable minorities of our clients who all deserve a thoughtful response.

To Heather’s point, we share her ‘ache for requirements to be made optional’ and she makes very valid points… our staff is painfully tired of sanitization and wearing masks, and the covid numbers here in Oregon aren’t nearly as terrifying as they are in states like Florida. But a large part of the reason why Oregon isn’t as bad as Florida right now is that we’re still doing the things like masking and sanitizing. They are frustrating and may seem useless, but the best science available says they’ll reduce (not eliminate, but reduce) the spread of the disease.

We all miss the freedoms we took for granted until they were gone; the freedoms to go to school, work, or shopping, to hug and kiss our loved ones… even the basic freedom to breathe! It’s agonizing to watch all those opportunities slip away day by day, but these freedoms didn’t disappear through some arbitrary government overreach. They disappeared as part of a science-based response to a deadly worldwide plague. We ALL want to go back, but the plague hasn’t gone anywhere and we as a society can’t pretend otherwise.

At Tom Dwyer Automotive Services your safety is our first priority. This isn’t some marketing platitude; it has to be this way because caring for your vehicles means taking responsibility for the safety of you, your family, and everyone else on the road. Shortcuts and oversights can cost lives, so we take extra steps in our regular repair processes to protect against even the one-one-a-million failures. We always err on the side of your safety, and wearing masks is simply an extension of this idea.

Yes, it’s inconvenient, but you, your family, and everyone else around you will be safer (not safe, but safer) because we do it. Face coverings are currently required in Oregon for indoor public spaces so we’re simply complying with state policy by requiring them. But even if Oregon and the CDC didn’t mandate them, we’d still be wearing and requiring masks because scientists (not politicians) say it’s the safest and most responsible way to treat the people we care about.

David’s point is almost exactly the opposite of Heather’s, as he feels we aren’t going far enough by using face shields alone. We thought our Advisor’s use of a face shield was an acceptable alternative to a mask, especially since he was behind a plexiglass shield himself. But, we hadn’t actually researched the issue until David’s comment made us look deeper.

We found conflicting information. Face shields aren’t currently against Oregon law; as of 8/20 the Oregon.gov Coronavirus site said that “Masks, face shields, and face coverings are currently required statewide” and that “Face shields and cloth face coverings are effective for most non-medical uses.” However, the CDC “…does not currently recommend use of face shields as a substitute for masks.” Other sources had opinions on face shield pros and cons, but the consensus seemed to be that face shields were a good addition to masks, but not a replacement for them. It seems the testing just isn’t there yet to confirm the effectiveness of face shields alone either way.

The same reasoning we gave Heather applies to David… we will always err on the side of your safety. We’ve embraced the need for masks so we aren’t trying to ‘skate by’ on the minimum. Face shields are definitely more comfortable than masks, but unless and until they are scientifically shown to be just as safe, we’re sticking with a rigorous masking program.

Thanks to everyone who has commented on our Covid response so far, be it good, bad, or indifferent. We only know if we’re successful in our services when our clients tell us, so PLEASE use your Post-Service Comment Cards (or email, or phone, or old-fashioned USPS mail, or an in-person visit!) to talk to us about whatever is on your mind. We can’t always make the changes our clients want, but we’ll always listen and always try to give a thoughtful, transparent, complete, and respectful response.

Our Covid response goes far beyond ‘to mask or not to mask’. For a detailed list of everything we’re doing to keep our clients and staff as safe as possible, please go to “Tom Dwyer Coronavirus Response” on www.TomDwyer.com.